Improvement in processes of treating tobacco



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH FINZER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES OF TREATING TOBACCO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,989, dated December 30, 1879; application filed November 12, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH FINZER, of the city of Louisville and State of Kentucky,

have invented an Improvement in the Process of Treating Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved mode of treating leaf-tobacco designed to be manufactured into plug.

Formerly hear'y rank tobaccos were used for plug almost entirely. Recently certain manufacturers introduced a milder tobacco, made from the light brown leaf. This had many ad vantages. It was less rank to the taste it had less noxious qualities; it required less sweet ening; it was more toothsome. It soon went largely into use, and became, and now is, the mostsought after of any tobaccos in the market. The commercial change resulting from this was marked. The large use of the light brown leaf, that is only grown in certain limited lo calities, caused a scarcity of the article, and the price advanced heavily. Now, the heavy rank tobaccos grown in large quantities, are low in the market compared to that I have heretofore been describing. I have invented a method of treating this heavy rank leaf so as to make from it a mild and pleasant plug, without the rank and bitter chew of the old style.

I take the tobacco from the hogshead, put it into the usual steam-chest, and steam it thoroughly in any of the well-known methods until thepores are well opened. I then putit into a bath of water, and stir it around well until it becomes entirely saturated, and the water has entered the previously-opened pores and penetrated within the recesses of the leaf. I then put the wet tobacco under pressure, usually by running it between rollers, thus pressing out the water, and with it much of the rank noxious matter. If one pressure is not enough it may be subjected to two or more. The result of this treatment is that the leaf, from being noxious and rank, has become mild. It is now ready to be made into plugs, and by reason of having lost much of its noxiousness less sweetening is required in the manufacture. It is made up into plug as usual.

Plugs made from tobacco thus treated are just as good as those made from the light tobacco, and are less expensive.

My process can be varied somewhat.

I do not claim to be the first to steam tobacco, as that is common to prepare it for stemming; nor do I claim to be the first to press or wring it out, or to dip it; but

What I do claim is The herein-described process of treating tobaccoby first subjecting it to steam, then to water, then to pressure, as and for the purpose specified.

RUDOLPH FINZER.

Witnesses:

JOHN FINZER, CHAS. G. Voe'r. 

